Banks: EU Action

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the current activities of the high level expert group on the structure of the EU banking sector; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: The High Level Expert Group published its report on structural reform of the European Banking Sector in October 2012. The Government welcomed the structural reform recommendations of the Group, which would require European banks to establish a ring-fence around its trading activities to separate it from its deposit bank. These proposals are compatible with the ring-fencing reforms which the Government is implementing through the Banking Reform Bill. The Government continues to engage with the European Commission in this important area. The European Commission issued its own consultation based on the Group’s findings earlier this year and will issue a summary of responses in due course.

Credit

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to ensure greater transparency in credit scoring procedures.

Sajid Javid: The Government believes effective credit scoring is vital to responsible lending decisions in consumer credit and business lending markets.
	All credit reference agencies (CRAs) will be regulated by the FCA from 1 April 2014. CRAs will be subject to the FCA's high-level standards and a number of rules regarding credit reference business which are being carried over from existing legislation and OFT guidance.
	The Government has also recently consulted on proposals to require banks to share information on their SME customers with other lenders through CRAs and will provide an update shortly. The proposals are intended to improve the ability of challenger banks and alternative finance providers to conduct accurate SME credit scoring and, by levelling the playing field between providers, make it easier for SMEs to seek a loan from a lender other than their bank.

Financial Markets

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the remarks made by the President of German regulator Bafin on 17 January 2014 on manipulation of currency rates and prices, if he will direct the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate currency and precious metals markets.

Sajid Javid: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is an independent non-governmental body that operates within the statutory framework agreed by Parliament. The Treasury has no general power of direction over the FCA and cannot intervene in its day-to-day operations.
	The FCA has however confirmed that, along with various authorities around the globe, it is investigating allegations of misconduct and manipulation in foreign exchange markets.

Housing: Prices

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Autumn Statement of 5 December 2013, Official Report, column 1130, what his definition is of stable house prices; and what steps he is taking to achieve such stability.

Nicky Morgan: While the Government does not have an explicit target for house prices, it has been clear historically that periods of rapid growth followed by decline have been damaging to the UK's economic and financial stability. That is why the Government has established the independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) in the Bank of England to ensure that emerging risks and vulnerabilities in the housing market are identified and effectively addressed.
	In addition the Government is making the vital reforms needed to address the long-term structural issues in the housing market in reforming the planning system and increasing the supply of homes. The Government has already committed to invest over £11 billion in housing during this spending review period. Moreover, the number of housing starts increased by 23% between 2012 and 2013.

Consumers: Protection

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department has issued to retailers on the Sale of Goods Act 1979 as amended by the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002 in respect of decisions on offering a full or partial refund after six months for a faulty good.

Jennifer Willott: The Department published "A Trader's Guide: The Law Relating to the Supply of Goods and Services" in April 2005.

Mass Media: Competition

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to facilitate the interoperability of electronic media and music between different operating systems to prevent closed markets in this area.

Jennifer Willott: There are no plans to take such steps as consumers have the choice when buying digital media to purchase a tied format or one which can be used on other systems, and there is already increasing interoperability between systems. The market for electronic music and media is a global one and the Government is not able to take unilateral action that would facilitate greater interoperability of systems in the UK.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Jennifer Willott: The Department does not own any properties.
	Since May 2010 the central Government estate was far larger than required and taxpayers were paying to maintain, run and rent properties which were under-occupied while other parts of the freehold estate remained vacant.
	The Government Property Unit has been supporting Departments to rationalise rapidly the Government's estate including by taking a whole of Government view of property. Since May 2010 over £1.25 billion has been raised by selling surplus freehold properties. Through the exiting of property across the central civil estate, we have also delivered cumulative, gross run rate savings of over £454 million per annum.
	Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end, the Government looks to explore all disposal options, including commercially sub-letting all or part of the space. Surplus property is listed on gov.uk.
	Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end but cannot yet be sold or sub-let commercially, the Space for Growth scheme, run by the Government Property Unit, invites small and medium-sized businesses, charities and social enterprises to utilise this space for free, boosting economic growth. Over 1,500 workstation spaces are now available in 57 different locations around England.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Department's executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
	Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 13 March 2014
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12th March 2014 , to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year. (191800)
	The Intellectual Property Office an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has no vacant property. As such no business rates are being paid for vacant properties.
	Letter from Ann Lewis, dated 13 March 2014
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 13 March 2014, UIN 191800 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House does not have any empty properties and, therefore, has not needed to make an estimate of this kind.
	Letter from Ed Lester, 13 March 2014
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014 which asked the following:
	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
	Please see the table for the requested information.
	I hope that you find this helpful.
	
		
			 Building Building name Empty building relief received (£) Section 44a (S44a) (temporary vacant relief) received (£) 
			 Plymouth Drakes Hill — 8,020 
			 Plymouth Eagle House — 3,526 
			 Nottingham Chalfont Drive 115,955 — 
			 Harrow Lyon House — 59,401 
			 Gloucester Twyver House — 2,080 
		
	
	
		
			 Peterborough Touthill Close — 19,951 
			 Telford Stafford Park 7,840 — 
			 Peterborough Touthill Close 20,277 — 
			 Gloucester Twyver House — 1,820 
			 Birkenhead Rosebrae Court — 48,472 
			 Gloucester Twyver House — 1,326 
			 Total  144,073 144,595 
			 Total amount £288,667 — — 
			 Notes: 1. Empty building rates relief received: Empty rates relief was received on vacant buildings that became vacant and due to be sold or we vacated due to lease expired. 2. S44a (temporary vacant rates relief) received: Section 44a was awarded for vacate space that we either being refurbished or a tenant had vacated and was then reoccupied a short time after. 
		
	
	Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, dated 13 March 2014
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
	Ordnance Survey has had no vacant properties recorded on e-PIMS for the current financial year.
	Should you have any further questions, please let me know.
	I hope this information is helpful.
	Letter from Richard Judge, dated 14 March 2014
	The Secretary of State for Business, innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2013/3169); asking what estimate has been made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by the Department and any executive agencies in the current financial year.
	The information supplied relates only to the Insolvency Service.
	The Insolvency Service has no vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 14 March 2014
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014, UIN 191800 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Met Office owns no vacant properties. There is one vacant property leased by the Met Office recorded on the e-PIMS database. Business rates payable on the premises in 2013-14 are £21,666. The lease on this property expires at the end of 2014 and the premises will be handed back to the landlord at that point.
	I hope this helps.
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 14 March 2014
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014, asking for estimated the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by the Department and any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of the Department in the current financial year.
	The National Measurement Office (NMO) has no vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database and accordingly the estimate of empty property business rates for NMO is nil for the current financial year.
	Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 17 March 2014
	Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year (191800).
	Please be advised that the vacant properties for Skills Funding Agency, recorded on e-PIMS, are the following:
	Birmingham (NTI Building), Brighton, Ipswich, Fareham, Coventry (Cheylesmore House North 2 floors).
	The business rates paid for these empty premises in 2013/14 were the following:
	Birmingham = £178,980
	Brighton =£44,745
	Ipswich = £60,378
	Fareham = £89,019
	Coventry = £180,412
	I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.
	Letter from David Parker
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, to ask what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
	The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and it does not own any properties.

Public Sector: Food

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2014, Official Report, columns 170-1W, on public sector: food, how much funding is provided by his Department to strengthen supply chains.

Michael Fallon: BIS is responsible for two main streams of dedicated funding for strengthening supply chains: the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) and the Manufacturing Advisory Service.
	AMSCI is a £245 million Government supply chain fund with four active national rounds and a regional scheme. For the latest round, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced on 4 March 2014 that nine projects will receive £129 million of support: £53 million of Government funding is leveraging in more than £75 million of private money. The projects will directly create 1,369 jobs and safeguard a further 2,525. At least 57 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are involved in the successful consortia. A wide range of key sectors from the Government's industrial strategy are represented, including automotive, construction, information economy and life sciences.
	This latest round also includes a project in the food and drink manufacturing sector; Crown Packaging Limited, based in Didcot and Wantage (Oxfordshire), will be receiving a grant of £1.9 million as part of a £3.8 million project they are leading with partners in West Yorkshire and Carlisle. This project will develop a new and innovative metal can manufacturing process, creating up to 32 permanent jobs and safeguarding 267 jobs.
	The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) contract is worth £59.3 million from January 2012 to March 2015, with £7 million earmarked for supply chain initiatives. Since January 2012, MAS has helped around 1,200 food and drink manufacturing firms in England.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, what progress he has made in providing an assessment of future markets for individual elements of an offshore wind farm.

Michael Fallon: The trade association RenewableUK, as one of the partners in the Manufacturing Advisory Service GROW: Offshore Wind programme, has put in place a database which holds information on the potential future market for individual elements of an offshore wind farm. The information on the database is being used by GROW: Offshore Wind programme advisers in order to provide relevant information and advice to the companies being supported by the programme. In addition, a report for The Crown Estate, Offshore Wind: A 2013 supply chain health check, published in November 2013, provides information on the capacity of the industry to meet market demand across Europe for each sub-element of the supply chain.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, what progress he has made on the engagement plan for the communication of benefits of offshore renewable energy across Europe and globally through Norstec and promotion of local benefits through the Cities for Offshore Renewable Engineering.

Michael Fallon: Norstec are leading on the development of an engagement strategy for offshore wind across Europe and globally. They will be launching a public-facing campaign in the first half of this year using industry ambassadors to communicate the benefits of offshore wind prior to Global Wind Day in June 2014. A representative from the Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) will join Norstec meetings to support the development of the engagement strategy and Global Wind Day. This partnership between Norstec and the CORE will encourage a local perspective on the benefits that can be derived from offshore renewable energy.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, what progress he has made on a supply chain analysis in the offshore wind industry.

Michael Fallon: As per the commitment in the UK's Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, an analysis of the UK supply chain for offshore wind has been undertaken and was published on 6 February 2014 in a report entitled 'UK Offshore Wind Supply Chain: Capabilities and Opportunities'. The analysis, produced by BVG Associates, assessed the extent of industrial capability in the UK offshore wind supply chain and estimated the size of the UK opportunity in each major component of the offshore wind supply chain.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, what export opportunities have (a) been identified and (b) materialised into export sales for UK-based companies operating in the offshore wind industry through the high value opportunities programme.

Michael Fallon: UK Trade & investment has identified export opportunities in China, Taiwan and Northern Europe through the High Values Opportunities Programme. To date UK companies have achieved export sales in excess of £1.4 million.

Nature Conservation

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department takes in ensuring that CITES-listed animals have their welfare needs met from when they are prepared and shipped for (a) import to and (b) export from the UK.

George Eustice: CITES requires that the transport of all live animals must be in compliance with the CITES guidelines for Transport and Preparation for Shipment of Live Wild Animals or, in the case of air transport, the Live Animals Regulations published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In essence, transportation should be well planned, well prepared and effectively performed. Animals should never be transported in a way likely to cause them unnecessary fear, injury, damage to health or undue suffering. These requirements are drawn to the attention of all applicants seeking the relevant permits for the shipment of CITES listed animals on the application forms. Signature by the applicant accepts compliance with these requirements and applies equally to imports and exports.
	Live animals imported from countries outside the EU are imported into the UK through a designated Border Inspection Post. In the case of exports from the UK, where a permit is required, official veterinary surgeons (private veterinary practitioners specifically trained and appointed for the purpose) inspect and certify that the animals presented are fit to transport.

Sewers

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made between his Department, Ofwat and the water industry on appropriate risk-based standards for public sewerage systems.

Dan Rogerson: When implemented, Section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will mean new sewers from new properties in England will be owned and maintained by the appropriate water and sewerage company. The legislation also requires standards for the construction of new sewers to be published by the Minister.
	Water UK and representatives of property developers are currently working through the remaining issues that must be finalised prior to implementation, and will be providing DEFRA with recommendations in April 2014.

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has given to each (a) local authority and (b) other organisation to deliver the Gold Standard homelessness initiative.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 17 March 2014
	We have invested £1.7 million into the Homelessness Gold Standard to help local authorities to deliver effective and cost efficient homelessness prevention services.
	The scheme is delivered by the National Practitioner Support Service, a team of local authority practitioners based in Winchester city council, with technical support and training provided by the National Homelessness Advice Service (Shelter). Funding breakdown for 2012-13 and 2013-14 is as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  National Practitioner Support Service (Winchester city council) National Homelessness Advice Service (Shelter) 
			 2012-13 430,000 300,000 
			 2013-14 600,000 400,000 
			 Total 1,030,000 700,000 
			    
			 Scheme total 1,730,000

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the National Housing Advice Service will continue to deliver the Homelessness Gold Standard in 2014-15.

Kris Hopkins: The £1.7 million Homelessness Gold Standard supports local authorities to deliver effective and cost efficient homelessness prevention services. It is delivered by the National Practitioner Support Service, a team of local authority practitioners seconded to Winchester city council, with technical support and training provided by the National Homelessness Advice Service (Shelter).
	A decision on further funding for the Gold Standard will be made in due course.

Housing: Newcastle Upon Tyne

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the benefits of self-help housing schemes for Newcastle upon Tyne's housing stock.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 17 March 2014
	There is growing interest in self build housing which has many advantages. It can be an affordable route to home ownership, providing home owners with the opportunity to own a bespoke and sustainably designed high quality home. It also creates significant opportunities for smaller and medium sized home builders.
	The Government supports individuals and communities who want to build their own homes. This includes identifying 12 sites for self build as part of our surplus public sector land disposal programme; making £30 million available through our Custom Build Homes fund to provide; short-term project finance for group (multi-unit) self build projects and introducing an exemption for self builders from the Community Infrastructure Levy. We will also shortly be consulting on removing small scale housing projects from having to pay costly section 106 obligations.
	The National Planning Policy Framework asks local authorities to assess the demand for people who wish to build their own homes and make provision for this in their development plans. The Government's recently published Planning Practice Guidance provides advice on this.

Tourism: Floods

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the cost of recent flooding to the leisure parks, piers and attractions sector.

Helen Grant: We have not made an estimate of the costs of the recent flooding and storms to the leisure parks, piers and attractions sector, as any cost would also need to include potential impacts on business into the summer.
	VisitEngland's February survey of 869 tourism businesses in affected areas included 75 responses from businesses in the attractions sector. Although 75 is a small sample, the survey showed that 59% of these attractions businesses advised that they had received fewer visitors than normal for the time of year, with 12% saying they had received fewer forward bookings than normal for the time of year and 16% advising that visitors had cancelled previously booked trips. It also suggested that 51% of attractions businesses in these areas had confirmed that flooding had caused damage to their business, with only 9% saying that their business hadn't been affected in any way.
	The £2 million package of support for tourism businesses in flood affected areas announced on 1 March will deliver practical help and advice on the ground, as well as a focused marketing campaign to help boost trade for Easter and early summer, which was launched on 17 March.

UN Commission on the Status of Women

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her objectives are for the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Helen Grant: Our objectives at the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women are to:
	(i) Achieve strong agreed conclusions on lessons learnt from the MDGs and the need to retain a standalone goal on empowering girls and women and achieving gender equality, mainstreaming gender throughout, and data disaggregation by sex and age, to guide and inform the post 2015 framework;
	(ii) In the run up to the 58th session, build a positive negotiation climate in relation to the priority theme and the post 2015 framework;
	(iii) Enhance the UK's reputation as an international leader on advancing the rights of girls and women ; and,
	(iv) Promote and showcase the UK's initiatives to achieve gender equality.

Cybercrime

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the vulnerability of the UK to a terrorist cyber-attack is; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the likelihood of a terrorist cyber-attack on the UK; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Government's strategy for countering terrorism, including the use of the internet by terrorists to carry out cyber-attacks against the UK, is set out in ‘CONTEST’ which was published in July 2011. The likelihood of a terrorist attack on the UK, in all of its manifestations, is kept under close review. The threat from international terrorism, regardless of the methodology employed, is currently assessed as ‘Substantial’ meaning that an attack is a strong possibility.
	The Cyber Security Strategy, published in November 2011, sets out how the UK will support economic prosperity and protect national security by building a digital environment which is more resilient to cyber-attack, irrespective of whether the threat is posed by terrorists, criminals or state actors. To deliver the strategy, we have put in place the National Cyber Security Programme which is backed up by £860 million of Government investment to 2016.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with which countries the EU is acting as a legal personality currently negotiating co-operation agreements in the field of justice and home affairs.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 14 March 2014
	In the areas for which the Home Office is responsible, the EU is currently negotiating cooperation agreements in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) field as a legal personality with the following countries:
	Algeria (EU Readmission Agreement),
	Belarus (EU Readmission Agreement and Visa Facilitation Agreement),
	Canada (Agreement on the exchange of Passenger Name Records),
	China (EU Readmission Agreement),
	Iceland (Agreements allowing participation in the EU's IT Agency (eu-LISA) and in the European Asylum Support Office),
	Liechtenstein (Agreements allowing participation in the EU's IT Agency (eu-LISA) and in the European Asylum Support Office),
	Morocco (EU Readmission Agreement and Visa Facilitation Agreement),
	Norway (Agreements allowing participation in the EU's IT Agency (eu-LISA) and
	in the European Asylum Support Office),
	Switzerland (Agreements allowing participation in the EU's IT Agency (eu-LISA) and in the European Asylum Support Office).
	The UK will not be bound by the Visa Facilitation Agreements as they build on the borders and immigration aspects of the Schengen system, in which we do not participate.

Female Genital Mutilation

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will set out how the (a) existence and (b) risk of female genital mutilation to applicants for asylum in the UK is treated under the immigration rules;
	(2)  how many requests for asylum in the UK cited female genital mutilation as a factor in the asylum application in each year for which figures are available; and how many such applications were (a) accepted and (b) refused.

James Brokenshire: An individual who claims that she would, on return to her home country, suffer female genital mutilation may qualify for refugee status if she is able to demonstrate that her fear of return is well-founded. Factors that are taken into account when assessing the risk include evidence that female genital mutilation is knowingly tolerated by the authorities or that the authorities are unable or unwilling to offer effective protection. The UK does not seek to remove individuals who face a real risk of persecution on return.
	Asylum decision-makers consider claims for international protection carefully and sensitively and ensure that all evidence relating to an individual's claim is taken into account. Each claim is considered on its own merits in the light of country of origin information and guidance. Specific guidance and training on gender-specific issues, including the risk of female genital mutilation, is provided to decision-makers.
	Information on the basis of claim for asylum is not centrally recorded, and the information requested in the right hon. Member's second question could only be obtained through a manual search of individual case files. This would exceed the cost limit.

Human Trafficking

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 481W, on human trafficking: Victim Support Scheme, how many of the (a) 270 males and (b) 62 females referred to the Salvation Army since 1 July 2011 were provided shelter and assistance during a reflection and recovery period.

Damian Green: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Further to my answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 481W, 49 females and 237 males were provided with shelter and assistance during their recovery and reflection period between July 2011 and December 2012. Provision of shelter and assistance was made where the individuals were referred to The Salvation Army and where they gave their consent to receive this support.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce a pre-consideration eligibility test for visas and immigration applications where the associated fees exceed £500.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office makes certain checks before considering an application, for example ensuring that an applicant's biometric information has been recorded and the correct fee has been paid. Eligibility checks form part of the consideration of an application. It is the responsibility of people applying to enter or remain in the UK to ensure that they meet the requirements of the immigration rules, or other relevant legislation.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much revenue the UK Visas and Immigration Service received from application fees where the application is not processed due to reasons of eligibility in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what the administrative costs associated with visa and immigration applications received by the UK Visas and Immigration Service which are not processed due to reasons of eligibility were in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The information is as follows.
	In-Country Applications:
	No pre-eligibility assessment is made on application. An application is processed through to a determination, whether that is a rejection for incorrect/fee application form; in these instances a refund is made.
	Applications are fully case worked to other conclusions, such as refusal and grant. Therefore, we can state that there is no associated income, or expenditure related to eligibility assessments.
	Overseas Applications:
	The Immigration rules do not contain any pre-assessment eligibility criteria. The only circumstance in which an application is not processed is if no work has been done on it, before biometrics have been taken. In these circumstances the applicant will be refunded the visa fee. Therefore there is no cost or income associated with applications that have not been processed.

Employment: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in Brigg and Goole constituency no longer claim unemployment benefit as a result of gaining employment in 2013.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority, I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Brigg and Goole constituency no long claim unemployment benefit as a result of gaining employment in 2013. (192280)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles data on the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), the main unemployment related benefit, from the JobcentrePlus Administrative System.
	It is not possible to provide data on the number of people who have ceased claiming JSA. As an alternative we have provided data on the total number of claims that have ceased during 2013 which will include multiple instances for some individuals over the year.
	The reason for moving off JSA is not known for over 40% of UK cases and in many of these cases the claimant will have moved into employment. Of the 4,830 claims in Brigg and Goole constituency that ended during 2013, 2,476 were for the reason of “found work” but this will be an underestimate of the total number of moves into employment.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk.

Empty Property

Hilary Benn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Francis Maude: At the time of the last general election the central Government estate was far larger than required and taxpayers were paying to maintain, run and rent properties which were under-occupied while other parts of the freehold estate remained vacant.
	The Government Property Unit has been supporting Departments to rationalise rapidly the Government's estate including by taking a whole of Government view of property. Since the 2010 general election over £1.25 billion has been raised by selling surplus freehold properties. Through the exiting of property across the central civil estate, we have also delivered cumulative, gross run rate savings of over £454 million per annum.
	Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end, the Government looks to explore all disposal options, including commercially sub-letting all or part of the space. Surplus property is listed on:
	www.gov.uk
	There is no liability at taxpayers' expense for business rates on any vacant Cabinet Office properties in the current financial year.

Statistics

Katy Clark: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to ensure that all statistics identified as high impact outputs with less widespread support by the Office for National Statistics in its consultation on statistical products 2013 will continue to be funded for 2014-15.

Nick Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 470W.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the European Commission has reached a conclusion in its consideration of the state aid case for the compensation scheme for the carbon floor price.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 419W.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what value-for-money audit procedure will apply the parent body organisation contracts planned for (a) Magnox Limited and (b) Research Sites Restoration Limited.

Michael Fallon: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will put in place a Benefits Realisation Plan to monitor the delivery of value for money. This will be subject to internal audit, and to external audit by the National. Audit Office.

Offshore Industry

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the economic viability of oil and gas extraction from the UK continental shelf in the next decade.

Michael Fallon: Sir Ian Wood's review of the UK continental shelf identified the potential prize for properly managing the UKCS, a range of 12-24 billion barrel of oil equivalent that could yet be recovered from the North sea, which is consistent with DECC estimates. Government and industry need to work hard together to secure future economic benefits for the UK, which will go well beyond the next decade. The Government supports Sir Ian's view, and will publish a fuller formal response later in the spring.
	Full details of our current estimates relating to UK continental shelf reserves and economic recovery can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-uk-field-data

Trident

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on relocating Trident to the Cleddau in the event of Scottish independence.

David Jones: I have not received any official representations from the Welsh Government regarding the basing of the nuclear deterrent fleet in Wales. The UK Government is not making plans for Scottish independence or to move the nuclear deterrent or other submarines from Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. The UK Government's position is clear: Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it.

Cystic Fibrosis

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of psychological support available to people with cystic fibrosis after lung transplantation.

Jane Ellison: The Department is aware that the Cystic Fibrosis Trust published a report on Monday 10 March 2014-“Hope for all: Improving lung transplantation for people with cystic fibrosis”-which sets out 13 recommendations around organ donation and transplantations for people living with cystic fibrosis. The report covered pre-and-post lung transplant standards for care, including psychosocial support.
	Decisions about psychosocial support is a matter for clinicians and commissioners when drawing up the provision of care services for cystic fibrosis patients. NHS Blood and Transplant is continuing to work with transplant centres to consider practical steps within the current system which could improve patient outcomes. It continues to review the current allocation process and work with international organisations to share learning to improve processes.

Cystic Fibrosis

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current arrangements for donor lung allocation for people with cystic fibrosis.

Jane Ellison: The current lung allocation system, including those to cystic fibrosis patients, is monitored closely to ensure there is equity for patients across the United Kingdom. The most recent analysis showed no statistically significant differences in allocation across the UK lung transplant centres. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) continue to consider practical steps within the current allocation system which could improve patient outcomes.
	Lung allocation policy is developed by the Cardiothoracic Organs Advisory Group. It is presently reviewing the current approach focusing on equity and better outcomes for patients. Any recommendations to change allocation policy will be considered by NHSBT, who will check to ensure that they meet the aims of the allocation system and that they have the support of transplant stakeholders before making any changes.

Cystic Fibrosis

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the report by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust entitled Hope for more: Improving access to lung transplantation and care for people with cystic fibrosis; what estimate his Department has made of the donor lung utilisation rate for transplantation; and what measures his Department has identified as having the greatest potential to increase that rate.

Jane Ellison: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), the organ donation organisation for the United Kingdom, was involved in the development of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust report and welcome all initiatives to increase organ donation and improve outcomes for patients in need of a transplant.
	At present, NHSBT allocates donated deceased lungs to designated transplant centres on a zonal basis, and the centre is responsible for selecting the patient. The transplant surgeon will assess both the donor lungs and potential recipients to find the best match. Assessing donor lungs and selecting the most appropriate recipient is complex and dependent on clinical factors and requires detailed knowledge of the recipient.
	Between 2008 and April 2013, donation in the UK increased by 50.3% and transplant rates by 30%. Donor rates continue to rise. A new seven year UK-wide organ donation and transplantation strategy “Taking organ transplantation to 2020” was published by NHSBT on 11 July 2013. The strategy will focus on increasing consent rates and giving many more people the opportunity of receiving a transplant.
	NHSBT is continuing to work with transplant centres to consider practical steps within the current system which could improve patient outcomes. It continues to review the current allocation process and work with international organisations to share learning to improve processes.

Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) outside earnings from use of data, (b) third party payment of staffing costs and (c) other funding sources of the operations and staffing of the Health and Social Care Information Centre are.

Daniel Poulter: holding answer 17 March 2014
	The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has provided the following information.
	The total expected income from use of data is expected to be £991,000 in 2013-14. This figure only relates to the provision of direct "data" services, mainly Hospital Extraction Service extracts, data linkage, and research tracking services to third party customers.
	HSCIC provide a range of other services to third party customers. The total income for this is expected to be £4,760,000, the largest element of which is the clinical audit service with expected income of £1,960,000. The remaining £2,800,000 relates to income from all other services HSCIC provide to third party customers which are a mixture of system developments, training and programme management. HSCIC does not hold centrally the breakdown of costs between staff and other costs for these activities.
	The HSCIC is commissioned by the Department, NHS England and other health bodies for a range of other services. Of HSCIC's other income totalling £7,983,000, the total income from third parties is £5,751,000 (£991,000 and £4,760,000) the remaining £2,232,000 of 'other income' outlined in the table comes from other Government bodies including the Office for National Statistics, NHS Trusts and arm's length bodies.
	The approximate total funding for 2013-14 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Grant in aid 162,000,000 
			 Grant in aid—non cash 11,015,000 
			 Other income—Department of Health 24,479,000 
			 Other income—NHS England 10,987,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Other income 7,983,000 
			 Total 216,464,000 
		
	
	HSCIC does not profit from the sale of data but can only cover the costs of processing the request. Where the HSCIC provides a service in the market it follows the Managing Public Money Guidance.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the National Midwifery Council on its membership costs and their impact on recruitment and retention in the profession.

Daniel Poulter: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is an independent body and it is therefore for the NMC Council to determine the level of the annual fee it charges for registration. On 26 March 2014, the NMC Council is due to review the level of this fee, but no decision has been made at present. Any proposed increase would be subject to consultation where the NMC's case would be scrutinised.
	Ministers keep the issue of professional regulation under regular review and the Department has frequent contact with professional regulators, including the NMC. Most recently I, in my role as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, met with representatives of the NMC on 12 March 2014. At this meeting, the NMC informed me as to its process for considering its registration fee.

Bus Services: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus operators in Greater Manchester have been reported to the Transport Commissioner in each year since 2005; and how many bus operators lost their operational licence as a result of subsequent investigations in each such year.

Stephen Hammond: The numbers in the following table refer to public service vehicle (PSV) operators in the north west traffic area because statistics are not collated specifically for Greater Manchester.
	
		
			  2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-131 
			 Public inquiries for existing PSV operators 49 24 34 25 67 44 46 43 41 13 
			 Number of PSV operator licences revoked 17 8 9 15 22 15 16 11 10 7 
			 1 Indicates six month period April 2013-September 2013

Driver and Vehicle Agency: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many employees of the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland have been employed there for (a) five years or fewer, (b) six to 10 years, (c) 11 to 15 years, (d) 16 to 20 years and (e) more than 20 years;
	(2)  how many employees of the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland are (a) under 30, (b) 31 to 40, (c) 41 to 50, (d) 51 to 60 and (e) over 60 years.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) is an agency of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment and its employees are part of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Empty Property

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Stephen Hammond: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Transport aims to hold only core property (i.e. which is needed for the delivery of its business). All non-core property (unless it is held pending transport scheme use) will be disposed or re-allocated at the earliest opportunity in a way which is both consistent with official guidance and achieves value for money.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near-miss aircraft incidents have occurred under 7,000ft with aircraft (a) arriving at and (b) taking off from Heathrow Airport in the last five years.

Robert Goodwill: The independent UK Airprox Board, which is responsible for investigating all reported near miss incidents by pilots and controllers in UK airspace, has provided the following relevant information:
	
		
			 Date of incident Aircraft types involved 
			 27 July 2009 Boeing 777 and Cessna 525 
			 19 November 2009 Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 
			 4 January 2011 Airbus A319 and Bell 206 Jet Ranger 
			 8 September 2013 Embraer 190 and unknown paraglider 
			 21 November 2013 Boeing 747 and Cessna 750 
		
	
	The first three incidents listed were all assessed to be non risk-bearing airproxes. The last two incidents have yet to be assessed.

Large Goods Vehicles

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) his counterpart in the Scottish Government, (b) the freight and haulage industry and (c) the European Commission on payment of the HGV user levy should Scotland vote to leave the UK in September 2014.

Robert Goodwill: No specific discussions have taken place on this matter at ministerial level. Officials from the Department of Transport have discussed the HGV levy with colleagues at Transport Scotland and with the major haulage and logistics trade associations such as the FTA and RHA who have their own representatives in Scotland. As part of the UK, Scottish HGVs will benefit from the offsetting reductions to vehicle excise duty when the HGV Levy is introduced. In the event of Scottish independence and irrespective of whether or not Scotland joins the EU, Scottish HGVs would be liable for the HGV Levy if they were to travel on roads in the UK. As such they would need to pay for the HGV Levy as would any other non UK registered vehicle.

Priority Routes

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with (a) metropolitan local authorities and (b) passenger transport executives on the introduction of red route measures to principal transport corridors in cities and conurbations.

Robert Goodwill: Ministers and officials meet regularly with metropolitan local authorities and passenger transport executives and discuss a wide range of transport issues.
	The introduction of red route measures on principal transport corridors in cities and conurbations is entirely a matter for each local highway authority and passenger transport executive.

Public Transport: Tickets

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for the roll-out of smartcard technology for travel on (a) buses, (b) trams and (c) metro systems outside London.

Stephen Hammond: Further details on the Department's smart and integrated ticketing ambitions can be found in chapter 4 of the Door-to-Door Strategy. This states that we will use smart technology to deliver seamless door-to-door journeys, making it easier to use public transport. Specific aims are:
	We will work closely with existing city smartcard schemes to utilise fully the existing smart ticketing infrastructure and actively encourage interoperability between smart ticketing systems.
	We will publish multi-operator ticketing guidance to support local authorities in introducing and/or improving integrated local tickets.
	We will pilot a Managed Service to help smaller bus operators benefit from smart ticketing.
	We will encourage the use of new technology to make buying and using tickets easier, and to future-proof operator investments.
	We have made good progress encouraging the use of smartcard technology on public transport. Over 75% of England's buses outside London now have smart ticketing equipment.
	A pilot programme is currently taking place in Norfolk that will help us to understand the opportunities that smart ticketing brings to those smaller operators that haven't got smart ticketing yet and their passengers, and the types of delivery model that might work elsewhere.
	The 'Smart Cities Partnership', comprising DFT, the Passenger Transport Executives, major cities and bus operators, was established in October 2013. The initiative aims to build on the considerable achievements and understanding of nine cities, establish where best practice can be shared and where barriers, local and national, still need to be addressed. The outcome of this partnership approach will be greater co-ordination of efforts, concentration on resolving long-standing delivery challenges, a framework for other transport authorities to adopt and an acceleration of delivery of smart ticketing products for passengers. These cities encompass almost all of England's passenger tram and metro networks outside London. Representation of the cities in the Partnership is led by a Transport for Greater Manchester senior official.
	Officials work closely with other bus policy areas of the Department and funding for smart schemes has also come from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and from the Better Bus Area Fund.

Railways: Repairs and Maintenance

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with companies within the supply chain for railways on the wheel sets and other spare parts for trains.

Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), regularly meets with the rail industry supply chain and has had wide-ranging discussions on supporting innovation and skills but not specifically on wheel sets or other spare parts. The management of wheel sets is a matter for the rail industry.

Roads: Accidents

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of road accidents resulting in a (a) serious injury and (b) fatality involved people driving for business purposes in each of the last four quarters.

Robert Goodwill: The proportions of reported road accidents resulting in (a) serious and (b) fatal injuries involving at least one driver driving as part of work in each quarter of 2012 are given in the following tables.
	
		
			 Fatal road accidents 
			  Fatal accidents involving at least one driver driving as part of work As a percentage of all fatal accidents As a percentage of all fatal accidents where at least one driver's journey purpose is known 
			 Q1 134 34 75 
			 Q2 119 32 69 
			 Q3 121 28 63 
			 Q4 130 30 63 
			 Total 504 31 67 
		
	
	
		
			 Serious road accidents 
			  Serious accidents involving at least one driver driving as part of work As a percentage of all serious accidents As a percentage of all serious accidents where at least one driver’s journey purpose is known 
			 Q1 1,205 24 56 
			 Q2 1,126 22 53 
			 Q3 1,251 22 54 
			 Q4 1,211 23 52 
			 Total 4,793 23 54 
		
	
	Journey purpose information is only available for 46% of fatal accidents and 43% of serious accidents.

Amicus Curiae

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how many times the Attorney-General has appointed an amicus curiae in each month since May 2010;
	(2)  how much has been spent by the Attorney-General's Office on appointing amicus curiae in each month since May 2010.

Dominic Grieve: The Attorney-General has appointed an amicus curiae (or advocate to the court), 28 times since May 2010. An amicus curiae is appointed at the request of the court to assist the court with guidance on the law when such assistance might not otherwise be available. A table showing, in each month, how many appointments were made and the amount spent on advocates to the Court appointed since May 2010 is set out as follows. The expenditure shown is the expenditure in the month referred to. It does not necessarily relate to the advocate(s) appointed in that month.
	
		
			  Number of appointments Total spent (£) 
			 May 2010 1 689 
			 June 2010 1 207 
			 August 2010 — 23 
			 September 2010 1 3,981 
			 October 2010 — 3,479 
			 November 2010 1 462 
			 December 2010 — 5,338 
			 January 2011 — 1,065 
			 February 2011 — 762 
			 March 2011 2 13,380 
			 April 2011 — 2,223 
			 May 2011 — 3,445 
			 June 2011 1 11,628 
			 July 2011 2 4,251 
			 August 2011 — 9,945 
			 September 2011 1 482 
			 October 2011 — 473 
			 November 2011 1 3,566 
			 December 2011 — 4,302 
			 January 2012 — 210 
			 February 2012 — 209 
			 March 2012 2 5,037 
			 April 2012 1 33,602 
			 May 2012 — 3,683 
			 June 2012 — 26 
			 July 2012 1 3,120 
			 August 2012 1 513 
			 September 2012 — 636 
			 October 2012 2 1,077 
		
	
	
		
			 November 2012 — 1,865 
			 December 2012 2 1,311 
			 January 2013 — 10,759 
			 February 2013 1 8,055 
			 March 2013 — 23,313 
			 April 2013 1 3,772 
			 May 2013 — 427 
			 June 2013 1 1,334 
			 July 2013 — 17,149 
			 August 2013 — 649 
			 September 2013 1 711 
			 October 2013 — 875 
			 November 2013 1 2,100 
			 December 2013 — 2,619 
			 January 2014 1 1,284 
			 February 2014 1 3,734 
			 March 2014 1 224 
			 Grand total 28 197,988

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Attorney-General how many people have been (a) charged and (b) prosecuted under sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Oliver Heald: I refer the hon. Member to the answers the Attorney-General gave him on the 13 March 2014, Official Report, column 290W.

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Attorney-General how many people have been charged under (a) section 2A and (b) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each police force in England and Wales since those sections came into force.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintain a central record of the number of offences charged under section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 that reached a first hearing in the magistrates court. Offences data are not held by defendant or outcome.
	The CPS case management system shows that the number of offences charged under section 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each police force area which reached a first hearing in the magistrates court are as follows:
	
		
			 PfHA 1997 
			  2012-13 2013-14 
			  2A 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) 2A 4A(1)(a)(b)(i) and (5) 4A(1)(a)(b)(ii) and (5) 
			 Avon and Somerset 5 0 0 10 1 3 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 5 0 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 5 0 5 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 8 3 7 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 2 1 1 
			 Cumbria 1 0 0 6 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 10 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 0 0 14 0 3 
			 Dorset 2 0 0 5 1 7 
			 Durham 0 0 0 5 0 0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Essex 1 0 1 15 2 1 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 8 0 5 
			 Greater Manchester 8 4 1 25 7 2 
			 Gwent 5 1 0 8 0 0 
			 Hampshire and IOW 2 0 2 25 0 4 
			 Hertfordshire 2 0 0 13 0 0 
			 Humberside 1 0 0 5 0 1 
			 Kent 1 0 1 12 0 3 
			 Lancashire 5 0 0 14 1 4 
			 Leicestershire 1 1 0 12 2 3 
			 Lincolnshire 1 0 0 1 0 1 
			 London 9 1 1 37 6 16 
			 Merseyside 1 0 0 4 2 1 
			 Norfolk 2 0 0 6 0 1 
			 Northamptonshire 0 1 0 1 1 0 
			 Northumbria 4 0 0 16 0 2 
			 North Wales 2 0 0 10 0 1 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 4 0 2 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 0 1 10 0 6 
			 South Wales 2 0 0 12 1 2 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 6 .0 1 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 6 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Suffolk 1 0 0 5 1 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 4 0 1 
			 Sussex 2 0 0 8 1 0 
			 Thames Valley 1 0 I 18 1 5 
			 Warwickshire 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 1 0 1 7 0 1 
			 West Midlands 3 1 1 23 2 12 
			 West Yorkshire 2 0 0 13 4 4 
			 Wiltshire 2 0 0 6 0 0 
			 Total 72 9 10 405 37 106 
			 Note: 2013-14 figures include April 2013 to January 2014.

National Crime Agency

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with the Social Democratic and Labour Party on the introduction of the National Crime Agency for Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: It is vitally important that the people of Northern Ireland are afforded the same protection from organised crime as the rest of the United Kingdom now does through the work of the National Crime Agency. I continue to urge the Northern Ireland parties to regard protecting the public as their key priority and that they should allow the Agency to work properly in Northern Ireland for the good of everyone who lives there.
	I have had a number of discussions with the SDLP on the importance of allowing the NCA to become fully operational in Northern Ireland.

Older Workers

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on providing older workers in Northern Ireland with adequate skills training.

Theresa Villiers: These matters are devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive and developing skills training in Northern Ireland is the responsibility for the Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning.
	Northern Ireland continues to be successful in attracting direct foreign investment—in part because of its highly skilled work force—and I have had discussions with several Northern Ireland Ministers on the need to ensure that all sections of the workforce are adequately trained to meet needs of business and potential investors.
	I am due to meet the Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning and will discuss the issue of skills training with him then.

Children: Autism

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many available school places there are at schools that provide specialist support for children and young people on the autism spectrum in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) Lambeth and (e) Streatham parliamentary constituency; and how many such places will be available in each of the next 15 years.

Edward Timpson: These figures are not collected centrally. The Department for Education does not collect information on the number of places available to provide specialist support in schools for children and young people on the autism spectrum. Local authorities are expected to keep their arrangements for providing special educational needs under review.
	We do collect the numbers of pupils in special schools in England with a primary need of ‘Autistic Spectrum Disorder’ are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Pupils with special educational needs with a primary need of ‘Autistic Spectrum Disorder’ in special schools in England, January 2013 
			  Number 
			 England 20,735 
			 London 3,640 
			 Lambeth 150 
			 Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: School Census 
		
	
	Information on special educational needs is published annually in the publication ‘Special Educational Needs in England’, available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2013

Children: Autism

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to improve the education of children on the autistic spectrum.

Edward Timpson: Children on the autism spectrum will benefit from the changes to the special educational needs system which the Government is bringing about through the Children and Families Act 2014, including the strengthened arrangements, through 0-25 Education, Health and Care plans, for the transition from children's services to adulthood which young people with autism can find particularly difficult.
	The Department for Education is funding the Autism Education Trust to provide training to early years, school and further education staff on autism. From January 2012 to February 2014, 22,451 staff have received level 1 basic awareness training, 3,214 have received level 2 hands-on tools and techniques training and 775 have received level 3 training for those who want to develop their knowledge of autism further and those who will themselves take on a training role, such as school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators.
	The Department is also funding three autism organisations from 2013 to 2015, including Ambitious about Autism, to work with four general further education colleges and schools to test innovative ways of supporting the transition of young people with autism from school to college and the National Autistic Society to help young people with autism take part in the development of 'local offers', to provide advice to professionals and to fund an exclusion adviser for parents and professionals.

Teachers: Training

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of teachers teaching in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) Lambeth and (e) Streatham parliamentary constituency have undertook specialist training on educational provision for children and young people on the autism spectrum in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: These figures are not collected centrally. Schools make their own decisions on what training their staffs need to support their pupils based on the individual circumstances of the school.
	The Department for Education funds the Autism Education Trust (AET) to provide tiered training on autism: basic awareness training for teaching and non-teaching staff at level 1; practical knowledge and hands-on tools and techniques for all staff working directly with children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders at level 2; and level 3 training for those seeking more advanced knowledge and those pursuing a training role, such as lead practitioners in autism and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. Between 2011 and 2013 the AET received grant funding to provide training to schools and from 2013 to 2015 is receiving funding under contract to provide training to early years providers, schools and further education colleges.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of British intervention on the level of opium production in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, since 2001.

Hugh Robertson: In the early years of the intervention it is clear the International Community underestimated the complexity of the problem and the length of time needed to address the drugs trade and build up the capabilities of the Afghan Government after three decades of civil war. Achieving a permanent reduction in opium cultivation will take decades; it needs a strong Afghan lead supported by effective regional and international action. Despite falls in cultivation between 2007 and 2010, the narcotics trade in Helmand remains strong and entrenched in the political, social and economic fabric of the province. Ongoing challenges of poverty, insecurity and effective rule of law continue to create the conditions where some communities are dependent on opium cultivation to survive. Helmand is particularly susceptible to this problem due to its relatively porous border with Pakistan which is exploited by smugglers, and its history of opium production. This however should not detract from the progress made in security, political participation, improvements in education and health care that have been achieved in Helmand with the support of the UK.
	Significantly reducing opium production in Helmand will require a generation of effort and Afghan will. The UK will continue to support efforts to provide a viable alternative to poppy cultivation in Helmand. We will do so through the Comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development Facility (CARD-F), which promotes legal rural employment and income opportunities by increasing the profitability of local agriculture and small business.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the levels of opium cultivation in the area within a 10-mile radius of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, in each of the last three years.

Hugh Robertson: The UK does not produce its own data on Afghan poppy cultivation, but contributes funding for the UN Office Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which conducts its own annual survey of opium production and cultivation across Afghanistan's 34 provinces. While UNODC opium cultivation figures do not specifically focus on the 10-mile radius around Camp Bastion, the 2013 UNODC Opium Survey reported 19,136 hectares of opium cultivation in the district of Nad' Ali, up from 8,038 in 2012 and 5,413 hectares in 2011. This is the closest district to Camp Bastion for which cultivation figures are available.
	The 2013 UNODC Opium Survey reported that with 100,693 hectares in 2013 (48% of total cultivation in Afghanistan), Helmand remains Afghanistan's single largest opium-cultivating province. Cultivation in Helmand was estimated at 65,045 hectares and 63,307 hectares in 2010 and 2011, Ongoing challenges of poverty, insecurity and effective rule of law continue to create the conditions where some communities are dependent on opium cultivation to survive.

BBC World Service

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the oral answer from the Deputy Prime Minister of 12 March 2014, Official Report, column 316, what Korean language service the BBC World Service previously offered; for how long it had made such transmissions; what the cost of that service was; and what savings were made when that service was discontinued.

Hugo Swire: I would like to clarify the answer given by the Deputy Prime Minister on 12 March 2014, Official Report, columns 315-6, concerning proposals to initiate BBC World Service transmissions to the Korean peninsula and his remarks on a review of that. The review carried out in 2013 was into the viability of a BBC World Service Korean language service. There has not previously been a Korean language service offered by the BBC World Service so the question of savings from its discontinuation has never arisen.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina towards EU accession.

David Lidington: Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) leaders have made little recent progress towards EU accession. Continuing protests across BiH demonstrate clearly that many people feel frustrated with the slow progress their country is making on its economic, social and political reforms, and the impact that this is having on BiH's path towards the EU. The UK continues to engage with BiH's leaders to encourage them to respond to the population's calls for reform. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has consistently made clear that the UK. remains committed to supporting BiH on their path towards EU membership including in his statement of 11 February immediately after the protests first broke out. The Secretary of State has also raised the importance of continuing commitment to BiH's EU path with his EU colleagues.

Empty Property

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

David Lidington: No buildings for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for business rates were vacant in the current financial year in the UK. Two FCO-owned freehold properties recorded on the e-PIMS database have been partly under refurbishment or otherwise unavailable for use during the current financial year as the Department progresses a project to consolidate its London headquarters in King Charles street (KCS) by late 2015:
	FCO main building, King Charles street, London SW1A 2AH (KCS);
	Old Admiralty Building, London, SW1A 2AP (OAB).
	Business rates due on these two properties during the current financial year total £4,104,760 and £1,664,490, respectively.
	During the current financial year the FCO has so far received a refund of £45,992.00 for empty property rate relief for areas of the KCS building, and a refund of £173,987.31 for empty property rate relief for areas of the OAB.
	Information on overseas properties is not held centrally and would in any case not be covered by the e-PIMS database.
	At the time of the last general election the central Government estate was far larger than required and taxpayers were paying to maintain, run and rent under-occupied properties while parts of the freehold estate remained vacant. The Government Property Unit has therefore been helping Departments to rationalise their portions of the Central Civil Estate by taking a whole of Government view of property. Since the 2010 general election over £1.25 billion has been raised by selling surplus freehold properties. Through the exiting of property across the central civil estate, cumulative, gross run rate savings of over £454 million per annum have also been delivered.
	Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end, the Government is looking to explore all disposal options, including commercially sub-letting all or part of the space, and the listing of surplus property on the gov.uk website. Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end but cannot yet be sold or sub-let commercially, the Space for Growth scheme, run by the Government Property Unit, invites small and medium-sized businesses, charities and social enterprises to utilise this space free of charge, boosting economic growth. Over 1,500 workstation spaces are now available in 57 different locations around England.

Middle East

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he or officials in his Department have had with the Israeli government about recent deaths of Palestinians following encounters with Israeli forces.

Hugh Robertson: We make frequent representations to the Israeli authorities about Israel Defence Forces' use of live fire and appropriate force in both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as about the process for investigating such incidents.

Russia

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to prevent further acts of aggression by Russia.

David Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 514W

Ukraine

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken or is supporting at the United Nations to diminish tensions in Ukraine.

David Lidington: On 15 March the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met to vote on a draft resolution on Ukraine. The resolution was co-sponsored by 42 members of the UN including the UK and all other EU member states and invited Council Members to uphold the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of a UN member state, and reaffirm core UN principles. The resolution was supported by 13 of the 15 Security Council members. China abstained and Russia used its veto to prevent the resolution being passed. Nevertheless the vote delivers a resounding international condemnation of Russian efforts to annex Crimea, and makes clear Russia's isolation in the Security Council and in the international community.
	On 13 March the UNSC held its sixth urgent session on the crisis in Ukraine since 28 February. Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs underlined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's concern regarding the deterioration of the situation in Crimea and rising tensions in eastern Ukraine.
	During the meeting, the UK ambassador to the UN made a statement which praised the restraint shown by Ukraine in the face of repeated provocation. He expressed the UK's deep concern about the decision to hold a referendum in Crimea on 16 March and about the legislative steps Russia was taking to facilitate it. He urged Russia to: de-escalate and return its forces to their bases; allow international monitors into Crimea; distance itself from the proposed referendum; and agree to dialogue with Ukraine. In the afternoon, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk briefed the UNSC and spoke powerfully about Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
	At the UK's request, the UN Security Council held closed consultations to discuss the situation in Ukraine on 6 March. During the meeting, the UK expressed regret that UN Envoy Robert Serry's visit to Crimea had been obstructed by threats and cut short and stressed that Russia should withdraw all its forces to their bases and to the levels agreed under the Black Sea Fleet basing agreements. The UK declared the decision of the Crimean Parliament to hold a referendum as illegal under Article 73 of the Ukrainian Constitution and had already been ruled as such by the Ukrainian Electoral Commission.
	Following a request by Russia, the UN Security Council held a public meeting on Ukraine on 3 March. During this meeting, the UK ambassador to the UN made a strong statement in which he condemned Russian actions in Ukraine.
	On 1 March the UK called an urgent meeting of the UNSC. In the meeting the UK expressed deep concern at the escalation of tensions in the Crimean Peninsula, and the fact that the Russian Parliament had authorised Russian military action on Ukrainian soil against the wishes of the Ukrainian Government. We called upon all political actors to show restraint. Members of the Council called for international monitors to be sent to Ukraine to observe the situation.

Ukraine

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on Ukraine.

David Lidington: NATO has a valuable political role to play in support of the international effort towards de-escalation. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I are all in regular contact with our counterparts in the Alliance.
	In addition to bilateral discussions, NATO Allies have held regular discussions about Ukraine in the North Atlantic Council, most recently on 17 March. Allies have also discussed Ukraine during meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the NATO-Russia Council. These discussions with Allies in these fora have culminated in NATO making strong political statements, including today's statement on the so-called referendum in Crimea. In addition, as a consequence of Russian actions, Allies have agreed to suspend all working level and operational activity conducted under the NATO-Russia Council until the Foreign Ministers’ meeting in April.

Ukraine

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Ukraine.

David Lidington: I hold regular discussions on security issues with the UK Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly ahead of their spring and annual sessions. I remain open to requests for discussion and briefing sessions from the UK Delegation.
	Regular contact between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and both the NATO Parliamentary Assembly President and the UK Delegation is conducted at official level.

United Russia

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance he has given to the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on political groupings and other associations with United Russia.

David Lidington: Political guidance for Members of Parliament and Peers who are members of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is a matter for political parties. The UK Government provides briefing to the UK Delegation on all plenary agenda items, including debates, in advance of each PACE plenary session. This briefing consists of re-stating of existing UK Government positions or policy. For example, in advance of PACE'S most recent session in January 2014, briefing was provided on issues as diverse as climate change, preventing racism and intolerance, the impact of ICT on democracy, Syria, Ukraine and Palestine.

Vietnam

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the improvement of human rights in Vietnam.

Hugo Swire: We highlight Vietnam as a country of concern in the annual Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights report.
	Our main concerns relate to freedom of expression and use of the death penalty. We continue to raise these issues with the Vietnamese Government at all levels. We use the annual UK-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue to engage on human rights and have recently supported a visit by Lord Dubs, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the abolition of the death penalty, in February 2014. His visit aimed to encourage greater debate in Vietnam and the reduction of crimes punishable by death.
	Our embassy in Vietnam continues to support projects funded by our Human Rights and Democracy Fund, focusing on improving journalists' safety, access to information and legal protection.
	We also continue to work closely with our international partners, supporting the annual EU-Human Rights Dialogue. In February we participated in the UN Universal Periodic Review recommending improvements to freedom of expression. Vietnam is due to respond in June.

Developing Countries: Gender

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will take steps to ensure a gender goal is included in the post-2015 framework in the post-millennium development goals agenda.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Solihull (Lorely Burt) on 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 269W.

Foreign Companies: Pensions

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to ensure that any foreign company found to have abandoned its pension responsibilities to UK pension holders can be made to refund that pension deficit.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 267W.

Housing Benefit: Corby

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much in discretionary housing payments has been allocated in Corby and East Northamptonshire constituency for those affected by the under-occupancy penalty in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

Steve Webb: Discretionary housing payments (DHP) are allocated by local authority not parliamentary constituency. The following table details the overall DHP allocation and the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS) element for Corby and East Northamptonshire local authorities.
	
		
			 Government allocation of DHP by local authority 
			 £ 
			  2013-14 2014-15 
			  RSRS Total DHP RSRS Total DHP 
			 Corby 25,669 92,250 92,809 134,854 
			 East Northamptonshire 24,304 85,490 59,253 99,565

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on the Jobcentre estate in 2012-13.

Michael Penning: It is not possible to provide a figure specifically for the delivery of Jobcentre business, as other parts of the Department, such as staff from the Corporate Centre, the Pensions Service and Child Maintenance Divisions are co-located in Jobcentre sites, and each business unit pays for their space proportionate to their occupancy.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued on the requirement to have £16,000 or less in savings for eligibility for income-based jobseeker's allowance.

Esther McVey: For jobseeker's allowance (JSA), guidance on the requirement to have £16000 or less in capital and savings is in the JSA procedural guidance. Corresponding guidance for Decision Makers is in the Decision Makers Guide, chapter 29.
	Public facing communications are available via the:
	Government website www.gov.uk;
	information leaflet INF4: changes you must tell us about; and
	jobseeker's allowance: help while you look for work leaflet.
	There has always been a level above which income-based JSA was not payable if savings were held since 1996.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people who were entitled to contributory jobseeker's allowance when they first claimed ceased claiming that benefit within (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five and (f) six months of making their initial claim in each of the last two years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people who were entitled to income-related jobseeker's allowance (JSA), but not to contributory JSA, when they first claimed ceased claiming that benefit within (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five and (f) six months of making their initial claim in each of the last two years for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: The volumes of successful new claims in 2010/11 and 2011/12 which were entitled to contributory jobseeker's allowance at the time of claim by duration of claim:
	
		
			  Number leaving jobseeker's allowance (in thousands) within: 
			 Year of claim (a) one month (b) two months (c) three months (d) four months (e) five months (f) six months 
			 2010/11 180 410 590 710 810 870 
			 2011/12 150 350 510 620 700 750 
		
	
	The volumes of successful new claims in 2010/11 and 2011/12 which were entitled to income-related but not contributory jobseeker's allowance at the time of claim by duration of claim:
	
		
			  Number leaving jobseeker's allowance (in thousands) within: 
			 Year of claim (a) one month (b) two months (c) three months (d) four months (e) five months (f) six months 
			 2010/11 360 740 1,040 1,280 1,450 1,580 
			 2011/12 370 760 1,070 1,290 1,450 1,580 
			 Notes: 1. These figures are not National Statistics and have not been quality assured to National Statistics level. 2. Figures are subject to sampling error. 3. The figures presented are cumulative, for example, those leaving within one month are also in the leaving within two months category. 4. Figures represent total claims to jobseeker's allowance and not total people claiming jobseeker's allowance. 5. Duration based on case status at end of month. Onflows within a month are counted as having duration of zero months ie within one month. 6. Excludes successful new claims to credits only jobseeker's allowance. Sources: Department for Work and Pensions INFORM model, based on a 5% sample of the 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received sanctions of their jobseeker's allowance for non-attendance in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Portsmouth, (c) Hampshire and (d) England to date.

Esther McVey: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of individuals who had their jobseeker's allowance sanctioned for failure to attend, from April 2000 to September 2013 
			  Failure to attend 
			 England 1,408,227 
			 Hampshire 16,794 
			 Portsmouth UA 5,169 
			 Portsmouth South constituency 3,158 
			 Notes: 1. Jobseeker's allowance (JSA) figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 2. A table produced with no breakdowns, only containing a total, will be a measure of the total number of individual people who have had a (JSA) sanction decision made ie an individual person will be counted once, irrespective of their characteristics, sanction decision outcome, reason for referral etc. 3. New sanctions rules came into force for JSA from 22 October 2012. The number of JSA sanctions applied for the new regime is the number of low, intermediate, and high level referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jobseekers-allowance-overview-of-sanctions-rules 4. Information on the old JSA regime is available from April 2000 to 21 October 2012. The number of JSA sanctions applied was the number of fixed length, varied length and entitlement decisions where the decision was found against the claimant. 5. The figure for Hampshire includes the following local authorities: Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Hart, Havant, New Forest, Rushmoor, Test Valley and Winchester. 6. Failure to attend includes: Failure to attend a place on a training scheme or employment programme, Failure to attend or failure to participate in an Adviser interview and Failure to attend Back to Work Session, without good reason. 7. This information is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database.

Poverty: Children

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the effect of the removal of the under-occupancy penalty on the number of children living in relative income poverty.

Esther McVey: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	This Government has made good progress in tackling the root causes of child poverty and has recently published the 2014-17 draft child poverty strategy for consultation which outlines the actions we are taking. The latest figures from 2011-12 show that 2.3 million (17%) children are in relative income poverty-down 300,000 since 2009-10. These are the lowest level since the mid-1980s.

Trade Union Officials

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department provided for staff to carry out trade union activities in each of the last three years; and how many days staff spent on those activities in those years.

Michael Penning: The information is as follows:
	1. The Department provides no funding for any trade union related activities. However it does allow time for these activities to be undertaken.
	2. The Department did not report on the amount of trade union activities taken by our representatives in the years 2011-12 and 2012-13, as such the figures shown are estimates based on the allocation of time we allowed for union representatives to use on trade union activities.
	3. The Department has undergone a significant amount of change in its facility time arrangements over the last 12 months as it has introduced the Cabinet Office reforms from June 2013, this has resulted in a decrease in the amount of time taken by our people for trade union activities.
	4. The data relating to 2013-14 covers the period April 2013 to December 2013.
	
		
			  Facility time taken by union representatives (days) Percentage of total working days 
			 2011-12 17,219 0.09 
			 2012-13 15,409 0.08 
			 2013-14 3,124 0.02

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the differential payment regime in the Work Programme in reducing creaming and parking.

Esther McVey: The independent evaluation explores the pricing structure of the Work programme. The Department will publish findings once the independent evaluation of the Work programme is complete.

Unemployment

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 18 to 24 year olds in Scotland have been unemployed for two years or more.

David Mundell: Latest official labour market statistics from today show that in February the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Scotland for over 24 months was 1,900.

Unemployment

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 18 to 24 year olds in Scotland have been unemployed for two years or more.

David Mundell: Latest official labour market statistics from today show that in February the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Scotland for over 24 months was 1,900.

Scottish Independence

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to participate in the debate on Scottish independence.

Alistair Carmichael: My ministerial colleagues, my officials, and I, engage with businesses of all sizes across Scotland on a regular basis, encouraging them to fully participate in the debate on Scottish independence.

Family Proceedings: Wales

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many private family law cases there were in (a) Gwent and (b) Wales civil and family tribunals cluster between April 2012 and April 2013; and in how many such cases both parties had legal representation.

Shailesh Vara: Information for parties representation is available for family courts at a national level in table 2.4 of Court Statistics Quarterly and it is available at this link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2013
	Breaking down the parties representation figures for Wales nationally and for Gwent locally, private law disposals in Family Proceedings courts and County courts are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year 2012-13 
			  Wales Gwent 
			 Both applicant and respondent 3,332 602 
			 All cases 5,557 994

Homicide

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what representations he has received on legislation on killing by one punch; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on killing by one punch; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will introduce a mandatory 10 year minimum prison sentence for anyone who kills someone with a single punch while under the influence of alcohol; and if he will make a statement. [Official Report, 28 April 2014, Vol. 579, c. 8MC.]

Jeremy Wright: The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), has not received any recent representations on legislation relating to killing by one punch. Such offending behaviour is covered by the existing offence of manslaughter and we have no plans to change the law in this area.
	Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, which gives the courts full flexibility to deal with all the circumstances of the cases which come before them. This is particularly important as manslaughter covers a broad range of behaviour. The Court of Appeal issued a guideline judgment in 2009 on sentencing for unlawful act manslaughter in which it stated that attention should be paid to the problem of gratuitous, unprovoked violence in our city centres and streets.

Life Imprisonment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received a life sentence in each of the last three decades; what length of sentence each served; how many such prisoners are still in prison; and how many such prisoners died while serving their sentence.

Jeremy Wright: A life sentence is mandatory on conviction for murder and is the maximum penalty available for other very serious offences. When imposing a life sentence, the court must determine whether the offence is so exceptionally serious that a whole life order must be imposed or, if not, what minimum term must be served for the purposes of punishment and deterrence before the offender is eligible to be considered for release by the Parole Board. A life sentence prisoner with a minimum term will only be released if and when the Parole Board is satisfied that it is safe to do so. If released, the offender will remain on licence and subject to recall to prison for the rest of his or her life. All offenders serving a life sentence, therefore, remain subject to the sentence for the whole of their lives.
	Reliable electronic records on sentences given to offenders are only available from 1984 onwards. A manual search through all sentencing records prior to this date would be required to identify the number of offenders given life sentences. Completing this exercise would be at a disproportionate cost.
	Table 1 therefore presents the number of offenders sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the last three decades since 1984, up to and including 2012 which is the latest full year for which data is available. Data for 2013 is due for publication in May 2014.
	Reliable electronic records on prisoner discharges are only available from 1992 onwards. A manual search through all prisoner records prior to this date would be required to identify which of those were serving life sentences, and how long they served. Completing this exercise would be at a disproportionate cost.
	The Ministry of Justice has, however, published the average time served by prisoners discharged on first release from prison on life licence. For the period 2002 to 2012, which is the latest available, this information can be found in Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2012, Discharge Tables 2012, Table A3.5. Data for 2013 is due for publication in April 2014. Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2012 is available at this link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/offender-management-statistics-quarterly--2
	There were 7,463 life prisoners held in prisons in England and Wales on 31 December 2013. Of these 7,188 received their sentence in or after 1980. There were 164 life prisoners for whom a sentence date has not been updated or completed on the administrative IT system from which this information is taken. Although not recorded electronically, this information will be recorded on each individual’s prison record and will therefore be known to NOMS staff dealing with their case. Table 2 presents this information broken down by decade.
	Reliable electronic records on the number of deaths of life sentenced prisoners are only available from 1990 onwards.
	While the database on deaths in prison custody holds details of deaths since 1978, information on the sentence of prisoners is not recorded for all prisoners who died prior to 1990. To ascertain this information a manual search through all prisoner records prior to this date would be required to identify which of those were serving life sentences and died in prison custody. Completing this exercise would be at a disproportionate cost.
	Table 3 therefore presents the number of deaths of life sentenced prisoners who were sentenced to life imprisonment since 1980, for each decade since 1990 up to and including 2012, which is the latest full year for which data is available. Data for 2013 is due for publication in April 2014.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of offenders sentenced to life imprisonment1, England and Wales, 1984-2012 
			 Period Number of offenders 
			 From 1984 to 1989 1,340 
			 From 1990 to 1999 3,085 
			 From 2000 to 2009 5,216 
			 From 2010 to 2012 1,187 
			 Total 10,828 
			 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of prisoners on a life1 sentence in the prison population as at 31 December 2013 broken down by date of sentence, England and Wales 
			 Date of sentence Number of prisoners 
			 Before 1980 111 
			 From 1980 to 1989 357 
			 From 1990 to 1999 1,093 
			 From 2000 to 2009 4,255 
			 From 2010 to 2013 1,483 
			 Sentence length not recorded2 164 
			 Total 7,463 
			 1 Includes mandatory, discretionary, automatic life sentences and those relating to young adults and juveniles held in prison custody. 2 Although not recorded electronically, this information will be recorded on each individual’s prison record and will therefore be known to NOMS staff dealing with their case. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number of deaths in prison custody of prisoners sentenced to life since 1980, England and Wales, 1990-2012 
			 Period Number of deaths 
			 From 1990 to 1999 110 
			 From 2000 to 2009 231 
			 From 2010 to 2012 103 
			 Total 444 
		
	
	All of these tables have been produced using information taken from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Mediation: Matrimonial Proceedings

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment the Government has made of trends in the take-up of mediation following recent legal aid changes applicable to matrimonial law.

Simon Hughes: Monthly data is collated by the Legal Aid Agency on the number of mediation cases which receive public funding for the mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM) and for mediation starts. The position in respect of privately funded mediation is unknown.
	Available comparative data for the period April-September 2013 over the same period for 2012 shows a 51% decrease in MIAMs; and a 34% decrease in mediation starts.
	Although a case on case analysis is not possible, the data available suggests the take up of mediation following a MIAM remains steady and year on year between 2011 and 2013 it has averaged at about 51%. For the period April-September 2013 the take up of mediation as a percentage of MIAMs undertaken was 65%, well above the average, suggesting that a greater percentage of people are progressing to mediation.
	While the number of referrals to MIAMs and couples starting mediation has fallen, the percentage of cases where full or partial mediation agreements are reached increased to 73% (4,066 of the 5,589) in April-September 2013, compared with 70% (5124 out of the 7,310) during the same period in 2012.
	The Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Authority are monitoring referral levels to ensure that services can be accessed from ever local area. More widely, the Government is committed to making sure that more people make use of mediation rather than go through the confrontational and stressful experience of going to court. The Children and Families Act 2014 places a legal obligation on an applicant to attend MIAM to consider mediation before being able to issue court proceedings in certain private family law matters (unless exemptions apply—such as increase in domestic violence).
	We are undertaking a range of activities to raise awareness of family mediation and the fact that it is still in scope for public funding, for those that qualify. In addition the Department is working closely with the mediation profession and recently held a roundtable event to discuss current issues. We have also provided posters and leaflets to help services promote themselves.

Prisoners' Release

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many releases from prison in error there have been in each month since May 2010, by category of prisoner.

Jeremy Wright: Releases in error are taken very seriously and action has been taken to tighten processes and focus managers’ attention in this area. All incidents are subject to investigation. The majority of prisoners released in error are returned to custody quickly. Releases in error are infrequent. In the 12 months to September 2013 there were 46 releases in error from prison, which equated to 0.06% of all discharges from prison. These are the latest data on discharges from prison. This compares to 68 releases in error in 2009-10.
	It is not possible to provide details of releases in error by category of prisoner. The category of prisoner at time of release in error is not recorded in incident reports and live data shows details of the current security category only. No category A prisoners have been released in error since May 2010.
	
		
			 Table 1: Releases in error from prisons, by month between May 2010 and September 2013 
			 Month Number of releases in error 
			 2010  
			 May 2 
			 June 4 
			 July 6 
			 August 7 
			 September 5 
			 October 7 
			 November 2 
			 December 3 
			   
		
	
	
		
			 2011  
			 January 5 
			 February 6 
			 March 3 
			 April 3 
			 May 3 
			 June 3 
			 July 3 
			 August 6 
			 September 3 
			 October 3 
			 November 2 
			 December 1 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 2 
			 February 8 
			 March 3 
			 April 3 
			 May 3 
			 June 3 
			 July 3 
			 August 2 
			 September 1 
			 October 5 
			 November 1 
			 December 3 
			   
			 2013  
			 January 3 
			 February 5 
			 March 3 
			 April 2 
			 May 4 
			 June 6 
			 July 4 
			 August 3 
			 September 7 
			 Notes: 1. These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. 2. The number of releases in error may change should further incidents be reported.

Prisoners: Death

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many (a) self-inflicted, (b) non self-inflicted, (c) other non natural causes, (d) restraint, (e) homicide, (f) awaiting classification deaths there were in (i) adult male prisons, (ii) adult female prisons, (iii) youth male prisons and (iv) youth female prisons in each year since 2010;
	(2)  how many deaths in custody in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 were prisoners of black, Asian and minority ethnic origin.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service classification system for deaths in prison custody uses the following terms: self-inflicted, natural causes, homicide, other: non-natural and other: awaiting further information. A range of statistics on deaths in prison custody is published annually in the Safety in Custody statistical bulletin supplementary tables on deaths with updates on the number of deaths of prison custody published quarterly. This bulletin is published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics
	The supplementary tables on deaths in prison custody cover the period between 1978 and 2012; statistics for 2013 are due for publication on 24 April 2014.
	As some prisons share both adult and youth functions statistics on the number of deaths in prison custody is presented in Table 1 by gender and age. Table 2 presents the number of deaths in prison custody of black, Asian, mixed and other non-white ethnic groups. Minority groups of white ethnicity will not be included in this table as they will be classified in the broader white ethnic group.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of deaths in prison custody by classification, gender and age group 
			  Male Female 
			  2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012 
			 Self-inflicted       
			 15 to 17 years old 0 1 2 0 0 0 
			 18 to 20 years old 4 6 2 0 1 0 
			 21 years old and over 53 48 55 1 1 1 
			        
			 Natural causes       
			 15 to 17 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 18 to 20 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21 years old and over 122 118 118 3 3 3 
			        
			 Homicide       
			 15 to 17 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 18 to 20 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21 years old and over 1 2 0 0 0 0 
			        
			 Other: non-natural       
			 15 to 17 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 18 to 20 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21 years old and over 8 9 2 3 0 0 
			        
			 Other: awaiting further information       
			 15 to 17 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 18 to 20 years old 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21 years old and over 2 3 9 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of deaths in prison custody of prisoners by non-white ethnic groups 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 Self-inflicted    
			 Black 2 2 4 
			 Asian 3 3 3 
			 Mixed 1 1 5 
			 Other 1 1 0 
			     
			 Natural causes    
			 Black 8 10 7 
			 Asian 7 5 4 
			 Mixed 0 3 0 
			 Other 0 0 0 
			     
			 Homicide    
			 Black 0 0 0 
			 Asian 0 0 0 
			 Mixed 1 0 0 
			 Other 0 0 0 
			     
			 Other: Non-natural    
			 Black 1 0 0 
			 Asian 1 0 0 
			 Mixed 0 0 0 
			 Other 0 0 0 
			     
			 Other: Awaiting further information    
			 Black 0 0 0 
			 Asian 0 0 0 
			 Mixed 0 0 0 
			 Other 0 0 0

Prisons: Overcrowding

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners sent to local prisons by courts have been sent on to a alternative prison due to overcrowding in each month since September 2013.

Jeremy Wright: The information requested is not collected centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Risley Prison

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when workshops have been closed at HM Prison Risley since October 2013;
	(2)  which wings at HM Prison Risley have been locked down for half a day due to staff shortages since October 2013;
	(3)  how many times a wing at HM Prison Risley has been locked down during the lunch period since 1 October 2013.

Jeremy Wright: A workshop was closed at Risley prison on 110 occasions, either for a morning or an afternoon, between 1 October 2013 and 17 January 2014.
	Seven wings at the prison have been locked-down for half-a day at some point as a result of staff sickness. The prison management take every step possible to reduce this to a minimum.
	There have been 76 occasions when a single wing at Risley has been locked down during lunchtime during the same period.
	All unplanned regime curtailments have been caused by high levels of staff sickness absence and not staff shortages; A new strategy for managing staff sickness was introduced in February to address this. The prison remains fully resourced to deliver an effective and purposeful regime. We also recently introduced changes to the regime to rotate necessary wing closures during the core day, but ensure that workshops and education remain open at all times.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many tribunals have been stayed pending decisions in other courts relating to decisions on benefits for over six months; how many claimants this involves; and what the total value of benefits involved is;
	(2)  how many tribunals considering appeals on benefits decisions are currently held pending decisions in other courts; how many claimants this affects; what the value of such benefit claims is; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: The first-tier tribunal—social security and child support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits.
	(1) As at 30 September 2013 (the most recent period for which statistics have been published) there were 1,179 stayed cases aged over six months. Each case represents one claimant. It is not possible to quantify the amount of benefit due to these claimants as every case awaiting an appeal would potentially have a different amount due.
	(2) As at 30 September 2013 there were no appeals against benefit decisions on hold at the tribunal pending decisions in other courts.

Squatting

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2013, Official Report, column 127W, on squatting, what the cost to the public purse has been of hearings in relation to the case of a constituent of the hon. Member for Workington, Gary Tomlinson, Claim Number OWH00080, Cert Number JBIRQK61BB77/A/E/1; for what reasons legal aid funding in relation to this case was withdrawn; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the report in relation to that withdrawal decision.

Shailesh Vara: The overall cost to the public purse of hearings in relation the case of Gary Tomlinson cannot be provided.
	The cost to HM Courts and Tribunals Service of the hearings involved in this case would require an estimate of the of the judicial time spent on each of the hearings, and the time of each member of staff spent on administrating those hearings. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The receipt of legal aid is considered to be personal data and the Department has certain obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 which would prevent it from disclosing this type of information. Furthermore, the LAA is further prohibited by statute from disclosing information relating to the provision of legal aid in individual cases (under section 34 of the LASPO Act 2012, section 20 of the Access to Justice Act 1999, and before this under section 38 of the Legal Aid Act 1988).

Theft: Metals

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of any offences relating to scrap metal theft in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Wright: Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information those found guilty of offences specifically of scrap metal theft as opposed to other offences of theft. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MOJ. As such, the information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Charging data is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

Air Force: Assets

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the value of each asset under contraction valued at £1 million or more held on Air Command's balance sheet is;
	(2)  what the (a) quantity and (b) value of all information technology tangible fixed assets items valued at £1 million or over held on Air Command's balance sheet is;
	(3)  what the (a) quantity and (b) value of all single use military equipment tangible fixed asset items valued at £1 million or over held on Air Command's balance sheet is.

Philip Dunne: Only one of Air Command's tangible fixed asset items with a present Net Book Value of over £1 million is held on its Balance Sheet. It is valued at £3 million. The remaining assets are held on the Defence Equipment and Support Balance Sheet. The total number and value of such assets, rounded to the nearest million, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Asset Type Total Number Total Value (£ million) 
			 Assets Under Construction1 49 M14 
			 IT and Comms 5 8 
			 Single Use Military Equipment 263 6,726 
			 1 The values held for Assets Under Construction (AUC) are at Programme level; it is only at Delivery stage that a value is attached to an individual asset. 
		
	
	The asset types are those categories under which the assets are recorded in the Ministry of Defence fixed asset register.

Armed Forces: Disciplinary Proceedings

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases were taken to summary appeal courts in each year since 2006 by members of each branch of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The following table shows the number of summary appeal cases (SAC) taken to court since 2009 (when the Service Prosecuting Authority came into full operation) and by which service:
	
		
			 Service 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Royal Navy 13 12 8 11 7 
			 Army 39 43 56 59 43 
			 Royal Air Force 11 11 5 5 4 
		
	
	The figures relate to the year the case was heard at court. This is not necessarily the same year as the SAC referral was received.
	The most relevant information available for earlier years is contained in the answer my predecessor (Mark Francois) gave on 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 613W, However these figures are not directly comparable because each case as reported above may include more than one defendant and more than one charge.

Armed Forces: Inquiries

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions have to apply in order to prevent the release of a Service Inquiry report to the general public.

Anna Soubry: The publication of Service Inquiry reports is considered on a case by case basis. The arrangements are set out in Chapter seven of Joint Service Publication 832 ('Guide to Service Inquiries'). A copy of that document can be found at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/service-inquiry-si
	along with a list of published reports of Service Inquiries, Boards of Inquiry, and Military Aircraft Accident Summaries.

D-Day Landings: Anniversaries

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of how many veterans of the D-Day landings will travel to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of those landings;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to assist veterans of the D-Day landings to take part in the Normandy 70 commemorations;
	(3)  what plans his Department has to hold a national event in London to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings;
	(4)  what representations his Department has received about holding a national event in London to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working closely with partners across Government and with external agencies, including the Normandy Veterans Association (NVA) and the Royal British Legion (RBL), to deliver a fitting programme of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Veterans interested in attending events in Normandy have been asked to register their interest with the RBL, to allow an estimate of numbers planning to travel.
	Veterans wishing to make the trip to Normandy are able to apply for financial support from the Big Lottery Fund, which has extended its Heroes Return 2 programme until 31 December 2015. This enables veterans, widows, spouses and carers to apply for travel and accommodation expenses to make trips back to places across the world where they served, or make a commemorative visit within the UK.
	The UK's national events to commemorate the 70th anniversary will take place in Normandy, France. A large event is being organised by Portsmouth city council on 5 June 2014 supported by the MOD. The Department has received some correspondence from MPs and their constituents about holding a national event in London and will be considering then further veterans groups. The NVA plans to disband this year and will hold services to mark the occasion, including the dedication of a new memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in September 2014.

Empty Property

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Andrew Murrison: As of 14 March 2014 empty property business rates paid on properties owned by the Ministry of Defence for the current financial year is £520,000. While a site is vacant and awaiting disposal it will incur Empty Property Business rates as any buildings until it is disposed of.
	There are no empty properties owned by executive agencies or non-departmental bodies, therefore no rates have been paid in the current financial year.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, for what reasons the Commission's estimate of unregistered voters was four million in 2010 and six million in December 2011.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it provided estimates for the completeness of the December 2010 and April 2011 registers in Great Britain in its ‘Great Britain's electoral registers 2011’ report. The report indicated that at least six million people were not registered at their current address in December 2010 and this figure had risen to 8.5 million by April 2011.
	This change to the accuracy and completeness of the electoral register within such a time period is not unexpected. In any given year there will be a variety of reasons why such a change would occur, the most significant of which will usually be the impact of home movement after the annual canvass, which was the case in this instance.
	The Commission's report explaining the background to its research can be found here:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/145366/Great-Britains-electoral-registers-2011.pdf

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the data matching rates were for university students living in university towns.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission refers the hon. Member to the answer to his previous question (177062), on 29 November 2013, Official Report, columns 455-56W, which outlined the background on match rates for students in university towns.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the registration rates were in the review of the national estimate of the completeness of the electoral register in England and Wales in 2000 and the Electoral Commission's research on Great Britain's electoral register in 2011.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that its research on the December 2000 registers in England and Wales found that 8%-9% of eligible people were not registered at their current address.
	Their subsequent research across Great Britain found that, in December 2010 and April 2011, 13%-15% and 18% respectively of eligible people were not registered at their current address.

Electoral Register: Bridgend

Madeleine Moon: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the electoral registration figures were in each ward in the recent confirmation dry run conducted in Bridgend County Borough Council; and if he will make a statement.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.
	The ward results for Bridgend county borough council were as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			 Ward Green matches Amber matches Red matches 
			 Aberkenfig 84.3 2.1 13.7 
			 Bettws 87.7 1.5 10.8 
			 Blackmill 84.6 2.3 13.1 
			 Blaengarw 87.2 1.9 10.9 
			 Brackla 82.5 1.0 16.5 
			 Bryncethin 82.7 1.3 16.1 
			 Bryncoch 81.2 2.9 15.9 
			 Bryntirion Laleston and Merthyrmawr 83.2 1.5 15.3 
			 Caerau 86.2 1.7 12.1 
			 Cefn Cribwr 85.3 2.8 11.9 
		
	
	
		
			 Cefn Glas 88.7 0.7 10.6 
			 Coity 73.8 3.5 22.7 
			 Connelly 84.2 1.8 14.0 
			 Coychurch Lower 83.6 3.1 13.3 
			 Felindre 85.0 1.3 13.7 
			 Hendre 87.8 1.2 11.0 
			 Litchard 88.6 0.6 10.7 
			 Llangeinor 84.3 1.6 14.2 
			 Llangewydd and Brynhyfryd 87.0 1.1 11.9 
			 Llangynwyd 88.4 1.6 10.0 
			 Maesteg East 87.6 1.8 10.7 
			 Maesteg West 87.5 2.2 10.3 
			 Morfa 82.4 1.4 16.2 
			 Nant-y-moel 85.3 2.1 12.6 
			 Newcastle 84.8 1.5 13.7 
			 Newton 83.7 2.5 13.7 
			 Nottage 85.5 2.3 12.2 
			 Ogmore Vale 85.6 1.9 12.4 
			 Oldcastle 82.8 1.7 15.4 
			 Pendre 83.8 1.4 14.9 
			 Penprysg 88.3 1.7 10.0 
			 Pen-Y-Fai 83.8 3.1 13.1 
			 Pontycymmer 84.2 2.1 13.7 
			 Porthcawl East Central 84.3 2.5 13.2 
			 Porthcawl West Central 79.2 5.1 15.7 
			 Pyle 85.8 1.4 12.8 
			 Rest Bay 85.4 2.7 12.0 
			 Sarn 89.1 1.6 9.4 
			 Ynysawdre 83.5 2.2 14.4 
		
	
	Results for all wards are available on the Commission's website here:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls
	The Electoral Commission also produced a report analysing the results of the Confirmation Dry Run Process, which can be found on its website here:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/163144/Confirmation-Dry-run-2013-Results-report.pdf

Electoral Register: Greater Manchester

David Heyes: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the electoral registration figures in each ward were in the recent confirmation dry run conducted in (a) Oldham Metropolitan Borough and (b) Tameside Metropolitan Borough.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.
	The ward results for Oldham metropolitan borough council were as follows:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			 Ward Green matches Amber matches Red matches 
			 Alexandra 75.7 2.8 21.5 
			 Chadderton Central 84.1 1.4 14.5 
			 Chadderton North 83.6 1.6 14.9 
			 Chadderton South 82.7 1.4 15.8 
			 Coldhurst 71.2 4.6 24.1 
			 Crompton 86.4 1.4 12.2 
			 Failsworth East 84.1 1.7 14.2 
			 Failsworthwest 84.0 1.2 14.7 
			 Hollinwood 83.5 2.0 14.5 
			 Medlock Vale 79.2 3.0 17.7 
			 Royton North 86.6 1.4 12.0 
			 Royton South 84.8 1.1 14.1 
			 Saddleworth North 82.0 3.8 14.2 
			 Saddleworth South 83.7 2.2 14.1 
			 Saddleworth West and Lees 83.2 1.3 15.5 
			 Shaw 83.2 1.6 15.2 
			 St James' 83.1 1.2 15.8 
			 St Mary's 75.7 4.5 19.8 
			 Waterhead 80.8 2.4 16.8 
			 Werneth 72.9 4.9 22.2 
		
	
	The ward results for Tameside metropolitan borough council were as follows:
	
		
			 Ward Green matches Amber matches Red matches 
			 Ashton Hurst 84.70 1.30 13.90 
			 Ashton St Michael's 79.70 1.90 18.30 
			 Ashton Waterloo 83.80 1.70 14.50 
			 Audenshaw 83.80 0.90 15.30 
			 Denton North East 83.20 1.20 15.60 
			 Denton South 85.60 1.20 13.20 
		
	
	
		
			 Denton West 84.80 1.20 14.00 
			 Droylsden East 83.70 1.20 15.10 
			 Droylsden West 85.00 1.00 14.00 
			 Dukinfield 82.20 1.40 16.50 
			 Dukinfield Stalybridge 84.30 1.20 14.50 
			 Hyde Godley 80.50 2.10 17.40 
			 Hyde Newton 82.10 1.30 16.60 
			 Hyde Werneth 81.20 2.10 16.70 
			 Longdendale 83.30 2.10 14.60 
			 Mossley 78.70 2.00 19.30 
			 St Peter's 75.40 2.50 22.00 
			 Stalybridge North 83.20 1.40 15.50 
			 Stalybridge South 83.10 1.30 15.60 
		
	
	Results for all wards are available on the Commission's website here:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls